Siemens Building Technologies North America Reviews

Pros

Good benefits and a company vehicle are very nice. Some very good people work here.

Cons

Really wish I could work from home. In my opinion, this isn't a very desirable location to live in so most people commute from 1 hr + away. I hate commutes so this is kind of a big deal for me.
Salary seems low for the area. I couldn't afford any decent housing in the DC area with my salary.

Advice to Senior Management

Option to work from home a few days a week would be nice.
I am an engineer that does PM work. I knowthe PMs get bonuses on their jobs that perform well, but I won't see any bonuses because I'm not a PM, even though I am doing the same work. Seems unfair.

Pros

Salary is good. Benefits are ok. Professional growth is good. Large company to move around and change positions. Some areas have well defined research to support moving forward with projects and other areas do not.

Cons

All benefits are paid by the employee (salaried). Management promotes adversarial employee interaction to accomplish ill defined and poorly researched project goals.

Advice to Senior Management

Develope procedures for market research supporting actual project need. Recognize and nurture employee talents to achieve project goals. Benefits for salaried employees should be better.

Pros

Opportunity to work on global projects.

Cons

Projects sometimes require long hours.

Pros

Having flexibility, career growth and professional education classes.

Cons

Communication
Stating current with PC and PDA.

Pros

Strong brand recognition.
Respected global employer.
Technically innovative company.
Advocacy for a virtual workforce model.
Employees are required to be versatile and function at a high level of performance. Creates a well rounded skill set or "tool box" for other future opportunities.

Cons

"Head down and do your job" culture.
Sterile work environment.
"Wait in line" mentality for career progression.
Average compensation compared to other similar size orgs.

Advice to Senior Management

Shift company marketing and branding strategy to a more "employee centric" focus. Start telling the "people story" rather than just focusing on the company products, services & successes. Happy, talented, successful people can help to bring the same into the organization.

Pros

Brand recognition
Training
Top people work there

Cons

Politics
Upper Management are not aligned with growing the business

Advice to Senior Management

Get some more useful people in Canada or let the US Team drive this ship...

Pros

Sales training and career development

Cons

Internal favoritism, politics, and hidden agendas.

Advice to Senior Management

Have an accurate way to manage performance- there was no monthly report of status to quota- it was all semi-annual. be much less political- the hidden agendas are numerous and easily seen by employees.

Pros

Siemens is involved in technogies that have a positive global impact. Decent benefits, nice co-workers. By and large employees are professional, knowledgable and willing to help their co-workers educate themselves. Technical training is readily available. There are opportunities to transfer between divisions or live and work in other countries.

Cons

Siemens globally has too many employees, divisions and business units. Employees are treated as just one of 400,000. Organizational structure is flat leaving little opportunity for advancement. Salaries are below similar positions at other companies. Resources are scarce while projects are abundant, leaving employees to feel overwhelmed and exhausted. Work life balance suffers.

Advice to Senior Management

Stop talking about how employees are valued and start showing it with higher salaries, bonuses, advancement opportunties, etc. Give your businesses the people and resources they need to support the profitable growth you want.

Pros

Huge company with lots of room for advancement around the world. Lots of support for training and advancement, including tuition reimbursement.

Cons

Some superfluous bureaucracy. Excess policy/procedures in a few areas.

Advice to Senior Management

In general communication of initiatives is good, however clear communication of values might give more clarity to the average employee of what the initiatives mean to them and why they are important.

Pros

the company has good benefits
decent pay

Cons

you can guarantee that you will be underappreciated
overworked
micromanaged
job security is low
it does depend on which office you are in